


Black Jack

by VictoriaEllis



Category: The Losers (2010), The Losers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 23:32:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13845357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VictoriaEllis/pseuds/VictoriaEllis
Summary: Jake Jensen was the best in the Business. If you wanted someone found, he could do it for you. Yet, when Cougar Comes to him with a request, he might just get more than he bargained for.





	Black Jack

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm not really happy with this. I hope you enjoy it anyway.

The mall was crowded as it was wont to do on a Saturday. It was easy to get lost in the crowds and he could hear more than one person cursing under their breath as they tried to get through the masses who had come to spend their money. A slight smile set itself upon his face as Jacob Jensen made his way over to the small café he was supposed to meet his client today. While it was loud and stuffy, this place was perfect for someone like him. He didn’t stand out much and there was less of a chance of people really overhearing what was going on and on top of that he could get away easily if need be. In the years he had worked in this business he had perfected his skills when it came to vanishing right in front of someone. Crowds were always working in his favour even if most people would not believe it, given his love for bright shirts and yet it was almost laughable how easily he could make himself scarce if he wanted to.

  
Jensen settled himself on the table he had reserved for today. It was in one of the far corners but still close enough to the crowd to make a quick getaway if need be. Pulling out his handheld, he decided to check over the data he had acquired of his new client. There was still an hour left until the client would arrive and while most of them came earlier, he liked to be prepared. Working for the black market and other unsavoury people had the downside of being dangerous and one had to know how to keep out of trouble. At least sometimes he had clients that were normal, non dangerous people. He liked working for those, but honestly with the type of hacking he usually did it was no surprise those where few and far between. Unfortunately, this line of work also meant that you were wont to make enemies sooner or later and if you were good – which he had to say he was – there were always people after you. Either for your skills or your blood. Jake would not say that he was proud of what he’d done. He was most certainly proud of his skills, but there probably would have been better, legal, ways for him to use them. Still after he started it was hard to stop and what had started as a necessity had become his life. At least he knew that his sister and niece were taken care of. He had done what he needed to, when Julie had become pregnant and lost her job because of it and a part of him would never regret it. Even if it made him a criminal and even if he had to stay away from his family most of the time just to ensure their safety. Julie never asked what he was doing, but she knew it wasn’t something good. How she still trusted him without question was something that had him in awe quite often. Julie was not stupid after all, she had simply looked at him the first time he had given her the money they so desperately needed and told him to be careful. That was it. After that the topic of money had never been broached in the Jensen household. He wouldn't tell and she wouldn't ask and as long as there was no danger for them it worked out perfectly well.  
Shaking his head Jake tried to focus on his handheld. Thinking about his family wouldn’t help him to keep a clear head and he could not be nervous when his client arrived. Never show any weakness was one of the first rules of survival, as those he dealt with would exploit on any and all weaknesses with relish.

 

Cougar couldn’t suppress the smirk that tugged at his lips as he saw just where exactly he was supposed to meet the hacker Dyllan had told him about. While he usually liked quiet places far more than the bustling crowds of a shopping mall, he could clearly see the intention behind the chosen location. On his way to the café he took note of several routes one could use to escape, the crowds were thick and easy to hide in if one desired, still for him it was no problem to spot even the slightest discrepancies. No one had followed him, he knew, no one was stupid enough. There was also no sign of any kind of officers. With time he had learned to spot even those undercover easily. None of his jobs could directly be linked to him, but he couldn’t be careless and the less the police ever saw of him the better. Jensen seemed to turn out legitimate, seeing as there was nothing that even hinted a trap. Usually one could trust Dyllan to give out good information, but he would always go with the highest bidder and if there was someone who was willing to pay enough for his head, Dyllan would try to set him up. Cougar had always been aware of that and Dyllan knew it too. Then again only business brought them together and there was nothing even close to friendship between them. The only thing that mattered was money and getting a job done. And he got the job done.

 

It was easy to spot the man he was here to meet. The blond man was wearing a bright green shirt that stated “I am the last of my kind” and seemed completely absorbed in his handheld. He knew the other wasn’t as he pocketed his handheld the same moment Cougar slid into the seat in front of him. There was no surprise on his face, even though he was half an hour early. Then again the blond was probably used to that. Cougar was surprised at how young the man in front of him looked. He was probably a bit younger than he himself and despite that he held himself with an air that told him he knew exactly what he was doing. It was all shoved behind a silly mask of bright shirts and easy smiles, but if you looked close enough there was an unmistakably intelligence hidden in his eyes. There was also an awareness that only those who walked across the line more often than not had in their eyes. Cougar had to admit he was impressed by the man Dyllan had found for him.  
What shocked him was the sudden and unwanted feeling of desire that crashed over him as soon as he got a closer look at the person in front of him. It wasn’t the first time he had been attracted to a man, but never before had he desired someone this intensively from the moment he saw them. It didn’t help that this was supposed to be simply business. Cougar was glad that he could school his expression carefully never showing what he was thinking or feeling on his face unless he really wanted to. There was no way he could mix business with pleasure, but oh how he wanted to at the moment.

 

Jake didn’t know what he had expected when he saw Cougar, but the hot Spaniard that was sitting in front of him had most certainly not been it. The only pictures he had been able to dig up had been old and didn’t do the man any justice that much was certain. The cowboy hat the other was wearing only added to his aura and the fact that he couldn’t even see all of his features sent a shiver down his spine that was far from unpleasant. From a man with his reputation Jake had been sure he would meet someone far more sinister, but Cougar was far from that. All in all, he looked more as if he could be on the pages of some stylish magazine than a killer for hire. Smiling slightly, it took him a moment to collect himself, before he grinned brightly at the man in front of him. He absolutely did not think about the fact that it was far from fake like it usually was. He also would not think about the fact that he wanted to know more about him badly. He should be afraid, not turned on by the man. He was a killer and would have no qualms about finishing him off if there was even the slightest bit of a conflict in interest. His body was clearly betraying him.  
„Cougar I assume?” he asked, keeping his voice light. As much as he wanted to fidget given his attraction it was better if the other man never noticed. Who knew how he would react to something like that. The other nodded and he smiled even wider.  
„Thank god, you are finally here. I thought she would keep you under lock and key all day. Is she still that demanding? I really don’t know why you keep dating her, it is obvious…” he started a random conversation as the waitress came closer to their table. To Cougar’s credit, he simply shrugged and did not let any of his surprise show, if he was even surprised. Then again most of his clients usually looked at him like he was crazy when he started to talk and more than one of them had almost made it clear to everyone around them that this was not a friendly chat. Maybe this was a good thing. After they ordered, he let the conversation slow, giving the Spaniard time to state his reason to contact him.  
„I was told you will be able to help me find someone”, he said silently and Jensen nodded almost automatically. Most of his clients wanted to either ruin someone or find someone. It was hardly ever anything else.  
„I can even find those who do not want to be found and more often than not even people who presumably do not exist. So yeah, if you want someone found I am your man. Now who is it that you want to find? You know I could hook you up with some real beauties if you wanted to, even if you honestly don’t need any help with that. Did you see the girl last night, she was all over you and you didn’t even care! I’m never going to understand you man…”  
Jensen shook his head, as the waitress came and put down their drinks. She threw a smile at Cougar that showed just how much she agreed with Jensen’s last comment, even though she had no idea he was just making it up as he went. Somehow he did not like that look and had to chastise himself immediately for even feeling that way. Being attracted to a client was a no-no and someone he knew was dangerous was even worse. He really had to get those thoughts out of his head.  
As soon as the waitress was gone though Cougar’s dark eyes bore into him and Jensen almost felt as if he could see right through him. Only the fact that he had been the recipient of such looks before kept him from panicking.  
„I need you to find a man for me that has eluded quite a few people for some time now. He is a hacker too. If you are willing to take the job I will give you the information I have about him, but I will not discuss him here.”  
Jensen blinked for a moment.  
„Well, why are you searching for him?”  
„He owns me something and I intent to collect.”  
There was a darkness behind that sentence that made Jensen quit asking. He had a bad feeling about this job, he hated it when his Clients weren’t straightforward with him. It wasn’t as if he doubted that he could do it, but betraying another hacker was something that was just not done. And if he had to do it, it always left a bitter taste in his mouth, as someday someone would do the same to him. He could only hope that he was that much better than the next man so that they could not find him, or at least that he was important enough to the right people so that no one would dare to haunt him.  
„Ok, I will respect that, but I need a name before I can tell you if I accept the job. I want to know what I am dealing with.” Accepting a job without much information was always risky and not knowing anything could get you killed. He had seen it before, even if he had been able to avoid similar situations.  
Cougar didn’t seem too happy about it, but in the end he complied. Instead of saying anything he simply pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to Jensen.

 

Jensen could not help but curse his luck as soon as he saw who it was that Cougar was looking for. His feeling that this job was proving itself to be correct. Of course the hot man who sat in front of him had to look for someone he would rather not find. Someone he could not hand over, seeing as it was himself he was looking for. Jensen knew he had not had dealings with him before and given the codename he was handed it was obvious that he wanted the him that had stolen money out of various bank accounts to provide for himself, his sister and his niece while he desperately tried to finish school as fast as possible so that he could get a job. Back then when he had not yet made a name for himself and found out that people paid good money for his skills. Now the biggest question was how to deal with the mess he was in. He could hardly sell himself out, but at the same time he could not let the other leave now that he knew who he was looking for. Cougar was not a man that would easily give up. He would just look for someone else to help him and there would be enough people willing to do so. So instead he needed to come up with some kind of plan. A diversion that would make sure he himself stayed alive, Cougar got what he wanted and at the same time erased his past so that he had one less thing to worry about. Jake prided himself at being one of the best in the business and he knew he should be able to pull this off without a hitch. It would be a stretch to tie up all lose ends, but it would be possible and everyone would walk away happy.  
Letting out a sigh Jake put the paper away and shrugged.  
„That is a name I have not heard in a long time. As far as I know no one has been able to find him so far, but then again I have never had any reason to look for him. I have to warn you though. There are no guarantees that I will be able to find him and given the fact that there has been no news about him for almost three years now could mean that there is nothing left to find, but I will look into it for you, if you can live with that. This will probably take time though. Digging up things that have been that far back is always harder than a fresh trail.”  
While he spoke he tried his hardest not to let his nervousness show. It wasn’t easy given the current situation and it most certainly did not help that he had a feeling the other was good at detecting the smallest deceptions. It would be best if he could get some distance between him and the other man, even if it was a shame that he would have to keep his distance. Well, you couldn’t have what you wanted more often than not, Jensen knew. It was really how his life went.

 

Cougar mustered the skittish man in front of him for a moment, he seemed nervous suddenly and Cougar wondered why that was. Up until now, he had been relatively relaxed and easily deflected anyone who might have listened to them, but now it was easy to see that he was tense. There was a possibility that it had something to do with the fact that he could not give him a guarantee his work would play out the way he wanted to, but somehow he knew it was something else. It irked him a bit and he would have liked to find out more, but as long as Jensen would try to get the job done it was none of his business. There was one thing that bothered him though. He had not known that the man he was searching for had dropped out of sight and it irked him that there may be no chance for him to ever find him. Especially now that he was having a chance to pay him back for what he had done to him. It was no use to think about it at the moment, though. For now, he would just have to sit and wait, something he had done for the last four years already, a little longer would not hurt him. A feral grin flashed over his face and he could see Jensen shiver and lean back slightly, which amused him. The hacker was obviously attuned to changes in the atmosphere and by the way his eyes darted around left and right Cougar knew he was checking his means to escape just in case they would become necessary.  
„I have waited a long time already, I can wait a little longer”, he told the hacker who nodded almost automatically. A small nervous smile flashed over Jensen's face as he leaned back, slightly more relaxed than before, and pulled out his handheld.  
„Awesome. Well with that out of the way, we should probably decide our next meeting and the payment.”  
„We will discuss the payment later. Not here. And there will be no need for a next meeting. I have no intention to leave you out of my sight while you do your job.”  
Jensen completely stilled at that. His eyes remained on the handheld for a moment, before he looked up and stared at him with wide eyes. His mouth opened and closed a few times, before he shook his head.  
„What?”  
Cougar smirked at him and leaned closer, watching as the blonde’s eyes widened even more. It was clear that the situation was making him uncomfortable, but Cougar had to admit that it was amusing to see how many reactions he could get out of him.  
„I do not trust you,” he told him silently. „And I have no intention of letting you run free without assurance that you are really trying to get the job done. So I will be with you 24 hours a day to watch you and I will know if you are trying to cheat me out of my money. Trust me, should you try that it won’t be pleasant.”  
Leaning back again, he smirked again and crossed his arms over his chest.  
„So?” he asked louder, raising an eyebrow.  
Jake’s heart felt like it was trying to beat right out of his chest. This was bad. This was really bad and not how these things were supposed to work at all. Of course he had had Clients that wanted him close, so that they could be sure he was doing his job, but it had always been neutral territory. He could not take that person home with him. First of all, he was not supposed to know where he lived. Even if he had gotten his own apartment a long time ago to keep those who were looking for him away from his family, it was still his sanctum. Secondly Cougar was dangerous and could kill him any given minute. How was he supposed to relax and get any work done that way? And the most important part how was he to do what he needed to do with someone breathing down his neck? Never mind the stupid attraction that was battling with his fear. How was he supposed to deal with having him around 24/7?  
Jensen knew that there was no way he would get out of this without getting shot. Cougar may not have outright said it, but it was clear that he would not take no for an answer and Jake valued his life enough not to try and put this point up for discussion.  
„Well it is not as if you are giving me a choice.” he said and tried to grin through his uneasiness. „Then let’s finish our drinks and go, hm?”  
Jensen was not sure what he was getting himself into, but if he got out of this job alive, he may just listen to his sister and look for another form of employment.

 

It almost surprised Jake how calm he was when they made their way over to his apartment. He was by no means ok with the situation, but there was little he could do about it. Still given the fact that there would be a killer in his house for an unknown amount of time bothered him far less than it probably should. After his initial panic and worry for his life, he had calmed down far too quickly for his liking. Again his stupid attraction to the other man had made it seem as if it was not such a bad thing after all. And really they were both no innocents that much was certain and they both did what they had to do for their money. That also meant that there was no guarantee he would survive this encounter. It could have been a trap to begin with, yet Jake doubted that the other would have let himself be seen with him if that was the case.  
Standing in front of his apartment he stared at the door for a moment, trying to figure out what to do next. There were still some things in there that he'd rather not show to the sniper. Cougar scoffed beside him.  
"Are we going in or do you plan on standing here all night?”  
Letting out a sigh, Jake nodded.  
„We will, just, wait here a moment, ok?”  
He had almost certainly thought that Cougar would object, but he just leaned against the wall across from the apartment. Throwing a quick look in his direction Jensen quickly opened the door and slipped inside his home, closing the door behind him. He couldn’t leave the other standing outside for long, but he needed to make a few things vanish before he could let him in. Rushing through, he grabbed everything that hinted to his family or was too personal to be left lying around. As a sniper the other was used to observe things and he didn't need to give him any more information about himself than he probably already had. Throwing everything in a box was the only choice he had at the moment and he could only hope the other would at least respect his privacy enough to not go through his stuff. If he had the time, he needed to hide the box somewhere else. Away from the man who was still waiting outside. For now, all he could do was pushing the box as far behind his equipment as possible and hope that it would be enough. It was far from perfect, but it was everything he could do at the moment and at least he felt a bit better that the other would not know about his family. He would never forgive himself if his family got in trouble because of him.  
For a moment he looked everything over again, before he took a deep breath and went back to the door. Even though he had been quick about his search it had still been almost twenty minutes since he had left the other and he could only hope that Cougar would not be too angry at him. That would hardly help his situation.

 

When he opened the door, he could hardly believe what he saw. Not only was Cougar still leaning against the wall across from his apartment and seemed completely relaxed, his next door neighbour Mrs. Adams was talking to him quite animatedly.  
„So you are a friend of Jake? I have never seen you around before, and trust me I would have remembered a good looking guy like you. There are so few of those around here. Just because I'm old does not mean I do not notice such things. After all I am old not dead.”  
Cougar tipped his hat at her and gave her a smile, as he listened and for a moment Jake was sure he was dreaming. Gone was the slightly sinister aura he had portrayed when he had told him he would watch him closely, replaced by something warm and almost playful. Jake could see Mrs. Adams almost swoon and he couldn't blame her. Cougar really did look so good it was bordering on unfair.  
„Jake, how can you make your guest wait out in the hallway like that?" Mrs. Adams asked him as soon as she noticed him. "How rude of you, young man.”  
There was a twinkle in her eyes as if she wanted to say even more and Jake knew he would regret it if he asked. Mrs. Adams was awesome and very straight forward when it came to saying what was on her mind. Never mind if it could embarrass whoever she was talking to. They had met each other when he had helped her with her groceries and shortly after that they had just hit it off. She loved to tease him whenever she could and for her age she was quite the little devil. Sometimes Jake thought she just love to embarrass him.  
Giving her a sheepish smile he just shrugged slightly.  
„I was not expecting guests today.”  
„Well I’m sure your boyfriend won’t mind if it is a bit chaotic, luv. He does not seem the kind,” she told him with a laugh and Jake could not help but blush a deep crimson. He certainly would not mind it if her assumption were to be true, but did she have to say that in front of him? How was he supposed to look at Cougar now without thinking about it? It did not help that he himself looked torn between amusement and surprise, if he read his expression right. At least there was no anger there as far as he could tell. That was good. The last thing he needed was some homophobe who would get all crazy on him.  
„Mrs. Adams!” Jake exclaimed embarrassed and a part of him just wanted to close the door again leaving the two of them out there. Mrs Adams laughed even harder as she watched him.  
„Aww look at you blush, Jake. Now you take good care of him, young man.” She then said as she turned back to Cougar. „He’s a good boy.” Patting Cougar on the arm, she went to her own door and threw them a smile.  
„Play nice boys and have fun. Don't try to stay quiet because of me. I would not mind a show.”  
With that she went into her apartment and closed the door. Jake had no idea what to say or do now. Staring blankly at the door the old lady had vanished through, he jumped in surprise when Cougar was suddenly standing right in front of him. His heart leapt in his chest and he knew he was blushing like crazy. Curse Mrs. Adams and her innuendoes and curse himself for not being able to control his reactions better.

 

Cougar could not help the smirk that had set itself upon is face as he ushered Jensen into his own apartment and closed the door behind him. He had to admit he liked seeing him blush. It made him want to see what else he could do to make that blush appear again. As it was he wanted to do a lot more, even though he knew he should not. Mrs. Adams words were still running through his mind and now that he knew there was a possibility it made his head run wild. Maybe he could have some fun with the blonde as time progressed. His reactions were definitely amusing and if he got that flustered without anything happening, he could not help but wonder what would happen if he actually touched the blonde. Chuckling to himself he followed the flustered man deeper into the apartment. The place felt surprisingly bare, even if it was full with different technical equipment and comfortable furniture. Something seemed to be missing and Cougar was sure whatever it was, was the reason the blonde had wanted him to wait outside. Anything personal was gone and hidden somewhere. A smart move he had to admit. While he was curious what the hacker was hiding from him, he would not ask. It did have nothing to do with their job, so it did not matter to him. Whatever part of his life Jensen wanted to hide from him, he would let him get away with it, unless he got the feeling the other was trying to play him for a fool. Still it was fun to watch Jensen busy himself with his tech, obviously still flustered by his neighbour's behaviour. Maybe it was time to breach another subject.  
„Give me a key” Cougar told him after watching him for another moment. This made the blonde whirl around and the blush receded rather quickly. As he had thought the hacker had not thought about everything yet.  
„What? Why?”  
„I will be spending some time here, and I need ways to get around. I will be getting some of my stuff over here and you better do not think about running from me either.”  
Cougar did not really think it would be an issue, but it always helped to make sure. He watched the blonde swallow thickly, before he nodded slowly.  
„Fine, just don’t… You know what, never mind…”  
He never voiced the thought that had been running through his mind and Cougar knew that he wouldn't even if prompted. He watched as Jensen got up and rummaged through a small bureau until he found what he was looking for. There was obvious hesitation, but the blonde handed him a key anyway.  
„I will be back in less than an hour.” Cougar told him as he took the key and turned back to the door.  
„Well, I will be here obviously…” Jensen told him with a shrug. „Might as well use the time to make space for you…”, he muttered under his breath, but still loud enough for him to hear. Cougar chuckled lightly and left.

 

Jensen sighed in relieve as soon as the door closed behind the sniper. This was going to be hell and he just knew that Mrs. Adams would watch them closely now, if only to embarrass him further. She had obviously enjoyed their little encounter earlier. Closing his eyes for a moment he tried to relax as much as he could. At least he had time to stash the box he had packed in the basement now. This way it was less likely Cougar would ever have a chance to look at it. After that he would have to figure out just how he was supposed to prepare his flat for another person. This place was not meant for two people. He had enough space for himself, but living with someone he hardly knew would be a challenge. Jensen dreaded the time when they would need to sleep, because there was just the one studio couch, which was wide enough for both of them when pulled out, but he really did not want to think about sleeping in the same bed as Cougar. It was bad enough that the other would be around him all day. On top of that the only place where one could have some real privacy would be the bathroom, as it was the only room with a door. There was just not enough room to take a breather here and with the way the other could affect him. Jake really had no idea how he was supposed to get any work done if he always felt like a nervous wreck. Still somehow he would have to deal with it all one way or the other. He could only hope things did not get out of hand. He had never been good at dealing with nervousness and he could just hope that his brain to mouth filter was active enough not to blurt out anything he should not say.  
Letting out another sigh, he cleared some space in his closet and in the room before he turned to his computer. Maybe he would be able to ignore the others presence when he was working, at least he could hope so.

 

It had taken Cougar a little longer than he had anticipated, but true to his word he was back before an hour was up. Letting himself into the flat he was greeted by typing and Journey blasting from somewhere. Jensen was sitting at his computer already, and Cougar settled himself on the couch behind him. He did not say anything, as he put down his pack and took out one of his rifles. For a while they sat in silence, as he cleaned his rifle and Jensen worked away, so it came almost as a surprise when the blonde started speaking again.  
„You know, nothing against you or anything, and I am sure what you are doing is totally reasonable and everything, but it doesn’t make a dude feel comfortable when someone is cleaning a gun right behind him, you know? I was already worried that you are out to kill me, but I certainly didn’t expect you to bring a gun to my place. So not cool, you now?” he began to ramble, not even turning around once. „And I have not even paid yet. Usually I would be paid in advance or at least in part before I started my work. There is nothing usual with you, is there?”  
It was almost fascinating how his mouth could run as fast as his fingers flew over the keyboard. Cougar decided not to grace the other with an answer. He had no intention to kill the blonde as it was, but that was not something he intended to tell him just yet. One thing was certain though, the other was not used to be around guns. In a way Cougar could understand his uneasiness, but there was no way he would stay anywhere without his rifle or any form of protection. Not only could he never know when he got another job, he also didn’t like to feel unprotected. Getting caught unprepared would only get him killed.  
When it became obvious that he was not getting an answer however, Jensen seemed to just ramble on, jumping from tangent to tangent, never really sticking to one topic for long. Cougar thought the endless chatter should probably annoy him, but instead he could not help but feel amused by his antics.  
„Breath, Jake.” he told him after a while, effectively shutting him up for a moment. Silently Cougar wondered if he made the other blush again, and chuckled again at the thought. He was tempted to get up and check, but the other was nervous enough as it was.  
„Well, sorry, Carlos,” Jensen answered after a moment. „This is all rather new to me.”  
It didn’t surprise him that the other knew his name. He knew probably quite a lot about him. But there were a lot of things that could not be found online, things that were never put down in writing. Cougar wondered to how many of those things he had still be able to find something and link it to him.  
„I see you did your homework.”  
„Well of course, it is not as if I could trust you all that easily either.”  
„Well this just shows me that you really know what you are doing. I would have been more surprised if you had not looked me up. One can never be too careful.”  
Jensen nodded in agreement and started typing again.  
„By the way, if you need something, the kitchen is over that way. Just fill up the fridge afterwards. And the Sofa is also a bed, you can pull it out if you want to sleep. I'm sure you'll find anything else on your own.”

 

Despite having Cougar sitting behind him cleaning his guns and staring at him, Jake was surprised how relatively smooth everything went. Of course the other had only been here for a few hours and the problem with their sleeping arrangements had not even be breached. Yet while it sent shivers down his spine to be watched so closely, he would have to lie to say he completely disliked it. It was distracting, but not enough that he was unable to do his work. The only thing that bothered him a bit was the fact that there was too much nervous energy cursing through him as that he could stay silent. So he talked, a lot. His sister always teased him that he could never shut up and he knew she was right. He simply hated silence and while the music was definitely filling it, staying quiet himself was not an option. Talking made him feel more in control of himself and the situation even if he knew that it was only an illusion. At the beginning he had been sure the other would simply shoot him after a while, but Cougar didn’t say anything about his rambling. On the contrary he was rewarded by a chuckle from time to time instead. And damn it if it didn’t make him want to hear is again. Shaking his head at his own thoughts he tried to pull his attention away from the silent man behind him and back to the task at hand.  
Formulating a plan of action had been relatively easy, but the actual execution of his plan was tricky to put it mildly. There were many loose ends he needed to tie up and he couldn’t overlook anything. Even one mistake would make all his work for nothing. Making sure that everything was erased and pointing in the direction he wanted it to would need a lot of delicate work, so the fact that the man behind him served as that much of a distraction was a curse in itself. He may not be able to really hate it, as he should, but it would make his job just that much short on suicidal. And it wasn’t even as if his plan was healthy anyway. This whole deal was unhealthy to begin with. Unfortunately, he knew that the other was used to wait and watch. As a sniper it was part of his job really, so there was also no way the other would grow bored and leave for a while or go to sleep early. He could probably outmatch him in staying awake. And that was saying something, seeing as Jake was no stranger to 48 hour shifts, even if he tried to avoid them. Just sometimes he got so caught up in his work that sleep eluded him completely. Staying awake for too long had the dreaded consequence that his concentration could slip at any moment though.  
Jensen had been so focused on what he was doing and definitely not thinking about Cougar that he could not suppress the surprised yelp when a plate with hot streaming food was placed next to him. How the other had gotten up and cooked without him noticing was scary. He really should pay more attention, no matter how difficult.  
„Eat”, Cougar simply told him, as he went back to the couch, his own plate of food in hand.  
„Thanks”, Jake muttered slowly. This whole situation just felt so surreal. Carlos „Cougar” Alvarez, one of the big names in the underworld was asking for his help and had decided for both of them that he would be living with him for the time being and now he was cooking for him. It just didn’t make sense. For a second he wondered if it was safe to eat, but he doubted the other would kill him now when he had not even started his work in earnest. His grumbling stomach could certainly find no fault with the others provision of food and while he was used to get by on energy drinks and take out, he would be a fool to turn down a home cooked meal. Slowly starting to eat, he could not help the sound of approval that left him.  
„God, I need to hire you as my personal cook”, he blurred out without thinking. Wincing at his own thoughtlessness he threw a quick glance at Cougar, who was silently eating himself. The amused smile was easy to see. Turning around quickly to hide his blush, Jensen knew he would get no sleep tonight.

 

\------

 

It felt almost ridiculous how easily they set into a routine after that. While Jake still tried to avoid sleeping as long as possible and had been able to sleep while the other was awake so far, the possibility that they would both end up in the same bed got higher and higher. It was not as if he could avoid this forever and he was sure that Cougar knew what he was doing. Another thing was that the longer he had the other around the more he couldn’t remember why it was such a bad idea in the first place. His work was progressing slowly and by now it had been well over a week that he and Cougar were sharing a flat. It was wearing him down to work until absolute exhaustion for so long, but he could and would not think about the alternative. There was just too much that could go wrong, too much he wanted to happen. Getting to involved with Cougar could only end in disaster. So this was really the only thing he could do at the moment, even if it became harder and harder to convince himself of that. On top of that he had noticed that Cougar seemed to watch him even more closely the longer they were together, noticing the smallest things about him that had nothing to do with his work. It still felt strange that the sniper made sure he ate properly and regularly. He would leave coffee and energy drinks close to his work station and from time to time he had even ushered him away from the computers to do something else for a while, even if he did not want to. More and more it felt as if the other was looking out for him, for his health and everything. It didn't feel as if he did it because he had to and more because he wanted to and the longer Jake was confronted with it the more his head was running wild trying to analyse the reasons behind it. Running on fumes as he was it became almost impossible to differ between reality and fiction. Shaking his head slightly, Jake tried to get rid of the tiredness that was crashing over him. Cougar was getting ready to sleep soon, so he could not sleep yet. He could not.

 

Cougar looked at Jensen as he typed away. It was clear to see that the blonde was exhausted and yet he made no move to stop. His typing was ceasing from time to time and Cougar could see his head dropping slightly. Shaking his head, with a slight smile, he pulled out the couch and got their beddings ready. He was fully aware that Jensen had tried to avoid sleeping at the same time as him. So far he had let him do so, but it would not do for the blonde to work himself to the ground. Whatever the hacker's reasons were it was time that this ridiculous game stopped. It was yet unclear how much time they would spend with each other and while Jensen had been able to unearth some information it was a far stretch form actually finding the man they were looking for. If he collapsed beforehand they would never get to finding him at all however.  
Walking over, he slowly pulled the chair away from the computers. He had learned quickly that it was not in his best interest to scare the hacker. The one time he had accidentally scared him he had found himself tackled to the ground in the blonds' attempt to get away from him. Calming him down again had been quite a bit of work. It had not been an unpleasant experience, having him pressed close. Cougar would like to have a repeat of that, without the blind look of panic that had crossed the hackers face. Now though the blond looked up at him in confusion, obviously having no idea what he wanted. He was blinking owlishly at him his hands still in the air, as if they were lying on his keyboard. Cougar stared at him for a moment, letting his thoughts run wild with what he wanted to do, before he pulled the hacker up and pushed him over to the bed. It was obvious that Jensen was still trying to piece together what was happening and Cougar used his confusion to rid him of his jeans. If it were not so clear that the other was hardly awake it would have been fun to figure out how far he could go, before the other protested. Now was not the time for such thoughts however.  
„Sleep”, he instructed silently, as he pushed Jensen onto the bed. The blonde was staring at him with wide eyes and there was the damned blush again. Jensen had no idea what his look was doing to him. It was a shame really.  
„But...”, the hacker started to protest, but a look from him made him shut up rather quickly. Instead he dove under his blanket. Smirking in satisfaction, Cougar turned off the monitor, knowing better than to shut the computer down at all, and slid into bed with him. Jensen made a small sound the moment he did, but Cougar paid it no mind, as he made himself comfortable and closed his eyes.

 

Jake had no idea how he had gotten in this situation so easily and he sure as hell had no idea how he was supposed to sleep next to the sniper. In his sleep-deprived mind, everything was muddling together and he had to blink a few times to focus himself again. He could practically feel Cougar right next to him, even though they were not even touching. It made him want to scoot closer and lean against him, but he could not. That was a stupid idea. His eyes were drifting close repeatedly and every time he could feel himself lean towards the side, where Cougar was sleeping. There was no way he could sleep, who knew what he would do when he was this close to the object of his affection? He really did not want to imagine what the other would do if he started clinging to him in the middle of the night. His last lover had always complained that he would never stay on his side of the bed, now with someone, he wanted that much more; it was only bound to get worse, wasn’t it?  
Determined to get those thoughts out of his mind, he turned his back to the sniper and moved as far towards the wall as possible. More space meant less temptation. He was tired, so so tired, but he just could not, would not sleep. He tried to tell himself that over and over again, but even though he was fighting hard, he could not keep his eyes open for much longer.

 

Cougar woke instantly when he felt a heat close to his own body. It didn’t take much to figure out that Jensen had gotten closer to him. Looking down slightly, he had to smile at the sight that greeted him. For someone his size he could make himself surprisingly small. For a moment he simply watched him. The hacker looked far too young and fragile to him at the moment. It was easy to forget that he knew exactly what he was dealing with and how to handle himself. He may not be able to use a gun or any kind of force really, but his skills at a computer were enough to make up for that. He did not need to hurt someone physically to destroy them. He could do it without even touching them or being near them if he wanted to and that was amazing in his own way.  
Cougar hesitated only for a moment, before he shifted closer to the blonde and pulled him even more into his body. He probably should not do this, this was dangerous on a whole different level, but at the moment he really did not care. The urge to be closer to him was stronger than anything he had felt before. Cougar was used to lust and want, but this was different. Jensen was different. Smiling slightly to himself he closed his eyes again. He would just have to get up before the hacker, so that he did not notice. Then again, according to Mrs. Adams he might not mind it as much as he would like to let him believe. Cougar was not ready to think about that possibility yet though. Instead he would indulge himself for a moment and maybe sometime later he would think about what he wanted to do. If he decided to pursue something with the hacker it would not be something short and Cougar was not sure he would be willing to let the other go when their business was concluded. As a matter of fact, for the first time, since he had been forced to become a killer for hire, he did not feel the need to find the person who was responsible.

 

When Jake woke up he found himself on Cougar's side of the bed and the sniper was nowhere to be found. Sitting up in alarm, Jake wondered if he had done something he had not been supposed to. On the other hand, he had woken up at all and without any kind of screaming, so maybe not. While he was still thinking about the possibilities Cougar had emerged from the kitchen, breakfast and coffee ready.  
Handing the blonde both, he sat down next to him on the bed, sipping his own coffee.  
Jake had a hard time to concentrate on his food however. Cougar was only wearing a pair of worn down jeans and his trademark hat. His hair was open and falling down his back. Jake had to stump down hard on the desire to simply touch. His mouth felt dry and he could feel himself getting hard against his will. Thank god for the bunched up blanked on his lap and the plate on top of that. He really did not want to explain this. Swallowing hard, he drank his coffee quickly, wondering how he could escape to the bathroom without the other noticing his erection. He really did not want Cougar to see him like this and he most certainly did not want to explain the reasons why he was sitting here like this. Of course, he could blame it on his sleep, but something told him that the other would see right through him anyhow. Unfortunately, there was nothing to distract him from his thoughts at the moment. He had wanted the other too much since he had first seen him and slowly this was turning into its own kind of torture. Really how was one to have some quality time with himself when the subject of his affection was always right there? And while the shower was quickly becoming his new best friend when it came to that, it was hardly relaxing. Especially when he had to be careful not to make any sounds.  
Groaning slightly at the path his thoughts were taking, he forced down his food quickly. Setting it aside and untangling himself from the sheets, he then wrapped around himself with a slight shiver. It was not really cold, but he was not leaving the blanket behind when he was getting up. There was just no way.  
„Thank you for breakfast.” he told the sniper, trying to sound happy and not at all as strained as he felt. He gave the other a smile, as he quickly picked up the dishes and almost dashed through the kitchen, to put them away and then hide himself away in the bathroom.

 

Cougar smirked in satisfaction as soon as the bathroom door closed with a loud bang. It was obvious that Jensen was as affected by him as he was by the hacker. Maybe even more. The smirk grew as he stretched. It had been a good idea to forgo dressing completely. Jensen's reaction had been everything he had hoped for. The idea had struck him the moment he had woken up. Being this close to the hacker and being unable to do anything about the desire he felt was frustrating. Cougar was not someone who would not go after what he wanted and the last night had only intensified that he wanted the blonde. So the first step had been to figure out if he had a chance and that had already gone splendidly. Smirking to himself, he stretched before he made his way over to the kitchen. Step one was done, now it was time to plan his next move. For now, he would let Jensen calm down and get some work done. Oh, he would play with him a little, after all it was never fun if everything went too fast. Fast was for satisfying lust in a quick tryst. Here he was planning for much more. Chuckling he grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head. He would do this slowly, but he still intended to strike soon. Very, very soon.

 

Jake felt as if he was going insane. Ever since the morning he had woken up on Cougar's side of the bed and had to beat a hasty retreat, he had the feeling as if Cougar was flirting with him. That just had to be his overactive imagination. There was just no way. Ever. Still the other was around him constantly and maybe it was because he was a bit raw and sensitive these days, but it felt as if Cougar was always touching him one way or the other. It didn’t help that his body was appreciating the contact far more than he should and working was becoming rather tedious. From time to time he had to shift uncomfortably on his chair. In the beginning, everything had been fine, but slowly the small touches were driving him into desperation. And he could not even fault Cougar, since he was not doing anything that would hint that he was doing it intentionally. Did he really need to get laid that badly? Or was it just the fact that it was Cougar? That was a possibility that would mean a lot of trouble, but the other alternative was just as bad. Then again it had been quite some time since he had broken up his last relationship and with his kind of work it wasn’t was if he was going out all that often. So really, he was screwed either way.  
There was one thing that made it even worse though. Lust was one thing, lust was something he could deal with, but if there was even the slightest chance that he felt more it would only end up in an absolut disaster. It really did not help that he had a tendency to fall for all the wrong people. Julie had joked that it was a Jensen family trait, but really there was nothing funny about it. At least Julie got something good out of it in the end. Not that raising a little girl was easy when you were alone, but at least they had each other. Now that he thought about it, all their relationships had ended in chaos and someone getting hurt physically, so maybe they should just both stop dating and getting close to people, as they apparently were unable to make sound decisions.  
But logic wasn’t going to help him in his current situation. Cougar was brushing by him again and Jake could not suppress a shiver this time. It was just too much. Maybe Cougar was trying to drive him slowly insane after all. Swallowing thickly, he tried to concentrate on the code in front of him, but his whole body felt as if it was on fire. He needed to concentrate though, because the sooner he resolved this situation, the better. There was no way he was going to get through this otherwise. If Cougar was driving him to desperation with just a few little touches, how was he supposed to spend any more time in the other’s presence without him noticing what was going on?  
Jake was so intent in staring at the screen that he couldn’t help the surprised yelp that escaped him, when his chair was suddenly spun around. Suddenly he found himself face to face with Cougar, as the other leaned over him and he could not help the low moan that escaped him at the fire in the other’s eyes. As if that had been some kind of signal, Cougar pulled him closer to him, kissing him with a ferocity he had never felt before. In that moment all thoughts simply left him and he couldn’t for the life of him phantom why this could be a bad idea. All he could do was cling to the sniper as if his life depended on it. Nothing but them mattered right now and he wanted him. More than anything. So he did not protest when Cougar began stripping him and pulled him back to bed. All he could do was surrender to the storm that was Cougar Alvarez.

 

A satisfied smirk played on his lips as he looked down on the blonde. He had worn the other out completely it seemed as the hacker had simply curled into him and fallen asleep. It reminded him of last night, but this time he was able to touch and felt much calmer and better than he had back then. He had gotten what he wanted and one thing was clear he was not letting the blonde go that easily. His desire for the blonde was far from quenched and he had a feeling the hacker would not mind if he stayed. Everything else could wait and be sorted out later. For now, he was fully intent on enjoying himself in any way he could. There was a lot he still wanted to find out about Jensen, but now he felt as if he could take his time.

 

\------

 

They had settled into a new routine easily after that. Jake would spend most of his day in front of his computer and when he thought it was enough, Cougar would pull him away. Sometimes it would be in the middle of the day to do something fun, sometimes it was just, because he could no longer contain his desire and other times it was simply to sleep. It was easy and they both liked it that was. It almost felt as if their lives where slowly intertwining themselves and they wouldn't have it any other way.  
They were so comfortable with each other that it had been an honest mistake when he answered Jensen's phone while the other was in the bathroom. Cougar hadn't even thought about it, as he found himself grabbing the phone without checking if it was his or not.  
“Si”, was all he said as he always did. What he didn't expect was the moment of silence, before an angry female voice answered.  
“Who the hell are you and why are you answering Jake's phone? Where is he? I want to talk to him right now!”  
Cougar was surprised at the amount of venom in the woman's voice and wondered just who she was. He was contemplating what to say, when Jensen returned from the bathroom. Deciding it was better to hand the phone over than to deal with the woman, he held out the phone the blonde. Jensen looked confused for a moment, before he noticed that it was his phone Cougar was holding out to him. There was a panicked look on his face as he hastily grabbed it.  
“Hello?” The wince that followed was easy to see. Jensen threw a quick look at him, before he returned back to the bathroom with the phone. Whoever it was that he was talking to, it was someone he did not want him to know about. Cougar narrowed his eyes as jealousy cursed through him. It was no use to speculate who the woman was, but he would try to get Jensen to tell him as soon as he was back. Whoever she was, sooner or later he would find out exactly what her relationship with Jensen was and then he would make sure that she knew the blonde was his now. They may have not talked much about their relationship, but Cougar had no intention of letting the hacker get away.

 

Jensen knew he was in deep trouble the moment Cougar handed him the phone. And true to form, Julie hadn’t even let him get a word in, before she started ranting at him. Wincing slightly, Jake quickly hid himself in the bathroom. As much as he liked Cougar it wasn’t as if he wanted to tell him about his family. Well, ok, maybe he did, but that would also mean that he needed to tell him everything including that he was the one he was searching for. There was no way that conversation could go over well.  
“Julie, please calm down.” Jake begged silently, as he sat down on the toilet seat and ran a hand through his hair. “Everything is fine, I swear.”  
“Nothing is fine, Jake. You haven’t given any sign of life for over two weeks now. And as little as I know about what you do, I know it’s dangerous. How was I to know that you are not in trouble? And who was that person who answered your phone?”  
Technically he was in deep trouble on different fronts, but it was not as if he could have told her that. Knowing Julie, she would march over here to try to help, even though there was little she could do. He loved his sister for her fierce loyalty, but he also needed to keep her and Emily safe.  
Letting out a small sigh, Jake knew she was right though. With Cougar here, he had been unable to contact them.  
“That was Cougar. He… We… well, he’s living with me at the moment. I’m sorry Julie, but something big came up a while ago and I am swamped with work right now. It will probably be a while before I am able to talk freely again, ok? I promise you that I am alright though and as soon as I think that might chance I will let you know.”  
Throwing a quick glance at the door, he let out another sigh.  
“Listen, I need to go now, ok? I will talk to you as soon as I can I promise. Don’t do anything stupid.”  
Living with his sister had taught him that it was best not to wait for an answer. As angry as she was right now, she would just dissolve into another rant and he didn’t have the time or patience to listen to her right now. Instead he simply hung up. Now he had just to figure out what to tell Cougar. Great, that was going to be easy.

 

Coming out of the bathroom, Jensen wasn’t surprised to find Cougar staring intently at him. He probably would have reacted the same way. Now, he just needed to figure out what to do.  
“Who was that?” Cougar asked him when it became obvious, that Jensen himself didn’t want to talk about it. Letting out a sigh, he let himself fall into his computer chair and looked at the sniper.  
“Can we… not do this right now? I know you are curious and I know you want to know more, but I’d rather not talk about this right now… This is private. It has nothing to do with the work.”  
If anything Cougar’s stare became even more intense, but to his utter relieve the sniper nodded slowly. Jensen was sure the topic would come up again, but maybe by then he would have an idea what to say. Shaking his head slightly he turned towards his computer to resume his work.

 

Cougar was watching Jensen as he worked. Something was going on and he wanted to know what it was. It was obvious that the blonde hacker had never intended to let him know anything more and it bothered him more than it probably should. As Jensen had said, it had nothing to do with the work he was doing for him, but that little information irked him beyond believe. He wanted to know more about the hacker. Wanted to know about every aspect of his life and not just what was going on in this small apartment. So maybe he needed to let the other know that this was turning into more. And that he had no intention of leaving after the job was over. Grabbing his gun, he began cleaning it, a task that helped him think and to calm down, as he contemplated just exactly what he wanted to do.  
They were both torn from their doings, when there was a sudden, very insistent pounding on the door. Jensen looked positively spooked and in a few quick moves, Cougar had his gun ready. Taking a deep breath and shaking his head at the sniper to show him he should keep his gun hidden, just in case, he made his way over to the door. Steeling himself, he threw the door open, unsure what was waiting for him on the other side. Cougar felt himself tense, as someone was pushing their way past Jensen the moment they could. The woman who was now standing inside the apartment was quite a bit shorter than Jensen and had the same striking blue eyes and blonde hair as him. Jensen obviously knew her, as he was by now more shocked than scared. Cougar wasn’t quite sure if he should relax yet however.  
“Julie? What are you doing here?”  
Julie turned to him and crossed her arms over her chest.  
“Making sure you are really alright, what else?” Then she turned to Cougar before Jensen could say or do anything else. “So you are that Cougar person, he told me about? The one, who answered his phone?”  
Raising an eyebrow Cougar nodded in agreement. The moment she had said anything he had recognized her immediately as the woman who he had been on the phone with not too long ago. Now he had a name and a face to go along with the voice. All that was left to figure out was just who she was to Jensen. Letting out a sigh the hacker closed the door and turned towards them.  
“Julie, really there was no need for you to come here. As a matter of fact, I told you not to.”  
Scoffing at that, she threw him another look, before she moved deeper into the apartment and sat down on his computer chair.  
“You didn't call, Jake and you have not visited for quite some time. Emily was asking about you. Then I call you and someone else answers your phone. What was I supposed to think? You telling me that you are fine is hardly comforting in such a situation. You forget that I know how you think. And don't you dare telling me that coming here was dangerous. I know that myself, but as much as I let you do whatever it is you are doing, I am not going to just sit by when I think you are in trouble. So why don't you start introducing us?”  
Jensen looked reluctant to do what she wanted him to do, but when he sat down next to Cougar with a sigh, he could see that he was preparing himself for whatever it was he had to say.  
“Fine... It's not as if I have a choice now anyway, but please, please never do this again. I meant it when I said it was dangerous. Coming here just like that could get you killed. Which is exactly why I am working here and moved out in the first place. This job has nothing to do with Emily or you and I don't want you to get caught in the middle of it.” Taking a deep breath, he turned to Cougar. “Well then, introductions. Julie, this is Carlos Alvarez, also known as Cougar, and I am currently working for him. No you cannot know what I am working on, how we met or what he does. Cougar, this is Julie Jensen, my sister.”  
Now Cougar could understand why he had been so reluctant to tell him anything about the woman he had talked to on the phone. They had never talked about their families or other private matters. It was a subject best avoided. Still the relieve when he heard that she was his sister was immense. Cougar knew that he had to make a decision now. Jensen was – even if it wasn’t entirely willingly – showing him something beyond their borders and Cougar knew he wanted to know more. Julie was looking back and forth between them, analysing them.  
“You are doing a bit more than working with each other, aren't you?” she asked suddenly, making Jensen blush and splutter incoherently. Cougar could not help but grin at that. He liked Julie already.  
“So, what are your intentions towards my brother? Is he just a way to pass the time, while he does whatever for you?”  
There was a warning in her eyes and he felt even more respect for her. She didn't know anything about him, but she was also not afraid to say what she was thinking. Something like this could be a dangerous trait, but Cougar had a feeling that it ran in the family and they could also be very cunning if they wanted to be. There was no doubt in his mind, that Julie knew how to handle herself. On top of that it was very amusing to see just how uncomfortable and embarrassed she was making her brother.  
“Julie!”  
Jensen's outcry made him chuckling slightly, while Julie just rolled her eyes at her brother.  
“I'm talking to Cougar right now, Jake.” And just like that it was as if Jake Jensen was completely thrown out of their conversation as she was waiting for his answer. The hacker made a show of throwing his hands up in frustration, before he got up and made his way to the kitchen.  
“Might as well make coffee, this is going to take a while…” Cougar heard him mutter.  
“I do not see him as a way to pass the time”, Cougar told her, still chuckling, knowing full well that Jake could still hear them clearly from his point in the kitchen. “Anything else is something that I would have to discuss with him first.”  
Julie mustered him for a moment, before she nodded in agreement. It was clear that she had a lot more she wanted to know, but when Jake returned with their coffee, she simply leaned back and took her cup. For a while neither said anything, but when she put her cup down and stood, she fixed him with another glare.  
“Fine, but if you hurt him, there will be hell to pay. And trust me; you would not be the first person I threw out of here.”  
In that moment Cougar, knew two things: first, he had passed some kind of test and second, she had not been lying about being able to throw him out. Inclining his head slightly, he watched as her stern impression turned into a grin. What he wasn’t prepared for was the hug she was suddenly giving him, before turning to do the same to her brother.  
“Well I can see you have a lot to talk about, so I will be leaving. Jake, I expect you to call this weekend so that Emily can talk to you. Do not make me hunt you down again.”  
Giving her a mock salute Jake brought her to the door.  
“Will do. Be safe.”  
“You too, idiot.”  
The siblings grinned at each other and then Julie was gone again.

 

It was easy to see that the nervousness was back full force, when Jake turned back to him. Shifting slightly in his place he looked unsure what he wanted to do, before he decided to sit in his chair. Jake was fiddling with his hands and avoiding eye contact by now. Cougar knew he could force him to look at him, but for now he would wait.  
“So… we are supposed to talk this out, huh?” he finally said with a nervous laugh.  
“I meant what I said, Jake. You are not just a way to pass time to me.” Cougar told him silently. “This is much more.”  
Jake gave him a fleeting smile, as he shrugged.  
“If… when… If you knew everything you would probably hate me. But I like you too much and this can’t go anywhere and you met Julie now and this is all really screwed up now.”  
Shaking his head, Jake looked up at him.  
“I… I need you to promise me something. No matter what may happen between us, leave my sister out of it please?”  
Cougar could feel the knots that were forming in his stomach as he sat up straighter. Whatever Jake had to tell him was bad and he was not sure if he even wanted to hear it. His request only made it worse.  
“I promise.”  
Cougar watched as Jensen steeled himself for whatever he wanted to say. Taking another deep breath, he blurted everything out.  
“I am the person you are looking for. I knew from the beginning that I couldn’t help you, but I had no valid reason to send you away. And there was a chance that someone else might be looking for me for whatever reason. So I took the job to make sure that no one would find me. Also I needed to make sure that my family would stay safe. But that was before I fell for you and then I didn’t know what to do, because I was lying to you, but telling the truth seemed impossible too and now you know and probably hate me anyway.”  
The hacker was not looking at him anymore and Cougar was grateful for that. He had flinched at the other man’s words and right now he had no idea how to feel. A part of him was angry, positively boiling with rage. The other had deceived him and it was his doing that he was in the situation he was in. Another part was simply devastated. Taking a few calming breaths, it took a moment for him to realize that he was gripping his gun tightly. All this time he had imagined what would happen when he would finally find the person responsible and now it was the one person he had fallen in love with. Shaking his head, he swiftly got up. Jake flinched slightly, but made no other move. It was as if the other man had resigned himself to whatever Cougar wanted to do with him.  
“I am going out. I need to clear my head.” Cougar told him in a cold voice as he put his gun in his waistband and grabbed his jacket. “I will be back however, so you better not make me hunt you down.”  
Right now, he had no idea what he wanted to do, but he needed to get away. Slamming the door behind him, Cougar swiftly left the building, trying to get away from his conflicted emotions.

 

Jake let out a shaky breath as soon as the door closed. For a moment, he stayed on his chair and concentrated on breathing, before he rushed to the bathroom to empty his stomach. He was still shaking, when he leaned against the cold bathroom floor and closed his eyes. He wished he could take it all back, but knew it was impossible. A part of him wanted to blame Julie for suddenly showing up and forcing them to talk, but Jake knew that it would have happened sooner or later. And Julie had been right to worry, he knew. So now, all he could do now was wait. Cougar had said he would be back and Jake did not doubt it for a moment. Cougar probably hated him now and really, he could not blame him. While he did not know exactly why Cougar was looking for him, it was clear that he had effectively ruined his life in some way without even meaning to. No matter what he was going to do now, he would never be able to take it back. He only wished he had never fallen for the other in the first place. He had been careless and now everything was ruined. Still Jensen knew he wouldn’t have been able to lie to him much longer and it would have been worse the later he had found out what was going on anyway. Now he could only hope that Cougar would not just outright kill him.  
Letting out a shaking breath, he stood up slowly and made his way over to his couch. Dropping down heavily, he did the only thing he could at the moment: he waited.

 

It was hours later that Cougar finally made his way back to the apartment. A part of him was still angry, but right now he wanted to know why. He had gone over everything that happened between them and he was sure that the blonde had said the truth when he had told him he had feelings for him. What he didn’t know however was if it could be enough. He had ruined everything for him and while Cougar most certainly liked his job most of the time now, he never had intended to go this way.  
Even though he had told Jake he would be back, a part of him almost hoped that the other wouldn’t still be in the apartment. When he opened the door, he found Jensen sitting on the couch, pale and silent as he looked up to him. Sitting down next to him, neither said anything for a while. It was strange for Jake to be so silent and Cougar noticed that he did not like the silence anymore. Letting out a sigh he leaned back and looked at the hacker.  
“Why did you do it?” he asked the blonde.  
“Take the money?”  
When Cougar nodded he continued. “It seemed like the best way at that time. I had just entered College and my sister had found out she was pregnant. Her loser of a boyfriend had left her and she had lost her job. So somehow, I needed to find a way to pay for my tutoring fees, my sister, myself and - later on - my niece. With everything that was going on it was impossible to find a job that paid enough and would not have me neglecting my sister and my studies. It certainly was not the best way to go at it, but we needed money and badly. I thought it wouldn’t do much if I took some from different accounts over time. I didn’t do it often and I only ever took as much as we needed to get by. I admit that I never thought about what might happen to those I stole from. In the beginning, it was just random accounts. Later on I looked a bit deeper. I know that there were some people that I took money from who were, well, less inclined to let it pass if they found me. What I was doing was illegal and they had gotten their money through illegal ways as well. I thought it fit. Still, there is no excuse for what I did, but back then, it seemed like the best way to do things. Later when I noticed that my hacking skills got people to pay me for doing something for them I didn’t need to do it as often until it was really unnecessary at all. It was then that I decided to let my codename fade away with no one the wiser that it had been me. I knew there were still people out there looking for me. I had made many enemies. And then you stood in front of me and gave me the perfect excuse to make sure everyone would stop trying to find me. If I could convince you that the person who had done this was dead, then word would most likely get around. And if they thought I were dead my family would be a lot safer. I know that what I did back then affected you severely and I am sorry for that. It had never been my intention to hurt anyone, really…”  
Cougar nodded slowly. Jensen could not have known that the money he took would affect his family quite badly. It hadn’t been much, but it was money they were supposed to pay someone back. Someone who fit his later profiles. Since they couldn’t pay them back, Cougar had decided to work for the man, just so he would leave his family alone. It has worked quite well and he had found a way to make good money.  
“So how was this supposed to work?”  
“I am aware what kind of information are out there about me. It wasn’t much and it has never been linked back to me personally, so as long as I could find someone who would fit the profile, I could get out of it. It is not as if anyone had every really seen me back then. So finding someone who was dead, whom I could create the background too would do it. There are a lot of people without family out there, so it wouldn’t hurt anyone and my family would be safe.”  
Jensen shrugged slightly, looking at Cougar again. The sniper was contemplating what he had heard.  
“So… could you still do it?”  
Blinking slowly, Jensen was not sure if he had heard that right.  
“I… you… what?”  
Cougar simply raised an eyebrow at him, but he could see the underlining amusement in the others eyes.  
“Yes, I could still do it. As a matter of fact I was almost finished.” Jensen answered finally. “You want me to do this? And why are you smirking? Aren’t you supposed to shoot me now, or something? Not that I’m complaining that you are not…”  
Instead of saying anything, Cougar moved suddenly, pulling the blonde close to him. Jake let out a small squeek of surprise as he found himself lying half on Cougar. The sniper waited until he felt him relax, before he finally answered.  
“I get it and I understand what you were trying to do this time around. As much time as I spent being angry, I have a hard time connecting it with you. So, yes, I want you to do this. You want to help your family, yes?”  
Placing a small kiss on his head, he smiled slightly as Jake curled closer to him.  
“Te amo.”  
For a moment, the hacker did nothing, but then a bright smile set itself on his face.  
“I love you too, Carlos. I hope you know what you are getting into. You won’t get rid of me easily now.”  
Laughing silently Cougar just shook his head.  
“Go and finish your work, Jake.”

 

Overall, it took an embarrassing short time to finish what he had started, now that he did not need to worry about Cougar leaving. Moreover, while the sniper was still quite the distraction it was not as bad as before. Finding someone without a family that fit what little information there was about him had been painfully easy. It was sad really. Creating a background had already been done and linking everything together so that no one would suspect foul play was done quickly enough. All in all Jake was quite proud of his work.  
Cougar was simply smirking at him when he took the printed pages. Whatever he was going to do, Jake was sure that the news of his former codenames demise would spread quickly. The only thing he had not been expecting had been the hefty check Cougar returned with. A part of him wanted to ask, but sometimes you are just better off not knowing and Cougar did not look as if he was going to volunteer the information anytime soon. So he did not ask, instead they looked into a place of their own, away from his tiny apartment and closer to Julie and Emily. With the money they had and the fact that new clients were not hard to find, it was easy enough. Julie was thrilled and now that they were working together, the risk became far more acceptable for both of them. All in all Jake would say it was perfect. And really, with someone like Cougar at his side, how could it not be perfect?

 

\----

 

It was another Saturday, another crowded Mall. Jensen was lounging at a table in a small café, knowing that Cougar was not far off, always ready to get him out if there seemed to be any kind of trouble. It was working quite well in their favour. Taking another sip from his strawberry milkshake, Jensen scanned the crowd around him. He spotted them almost immediately. There was no doubt those two were his knew clients. Jake had made sure to do a quick check on their background and he knew they were military. He also knew that they were supposed to be dead. Well, then again so was he in a way. The two men made their way over to him and for a moment Jake wondered where the last person of their group was. Then again, he was probably preparing everything in case something got wrong, just like Cougar was doing for him.  
“You Jensen?” one of them asked, he looked dangerous, angry. Like someone who you would be better off to stay away from.  
“Depends, who’s asking?”  
For a second it looked, as if the man was going to launch himself at him, but the other man slightly shook his head and that was that. As expected from a commanding officer.  
“My name’s Clay. He’s Rouqe.”  
Jensen nodded slightly and grinned.  
“And I am the person you are looking for. Well then, what can I do for you?”  
The two sat down and looked around for a moment, before Clay started speaking again.  
“We need you to find someone for us. His name is Max…”


End file.
